How Tech Has Changed Teaching Techniques in the US?

It is hard to argue with the fact that technological progress has changed everything in the past decade. From the way we used to handle daily tasks to the way we taught children in schools – everything is now different.

Technology has given teaching a significant boost in the past years. With the ease of access to information and all the tools out there, the techniques teachers use have changed as well. Today, more and more schools are bringing innovation into classrooms. In this article, we are going to discover how this has changed teaching.

Top 8 Ways Technology has Affected Teaching

In the list below, we have collected some of the main points that show how much education in the US changed over the last decade.

1. More Gadgets in the Classroom

By the beginning of 2010s, some schools have already been allowing devices in classrooms. But, the number of gadgets used in classrooms grew rapidly since then.

Nowadays, it is neither new or rare to find tablets, laptops, smart boards, and other gadgets at schools. On top of that, the quality of tech has been changing as well. Today, apart from basic things like computers, some teachers use innovative gadgets like VR headsets.

2. More Tools and Resources

Here is another way how technology has influenced the field of education. It expanded both teachers’ and learners’ perspectives. Now, everyone has lots of information and tools that come in handy in the process of learning.

During the past decade, more and more tools have been introduced at schools. Today, there are dozens of forums, apps, games, and homework help services like EssayPro. There are tools for collaboration, and many other resources available online. These help to make both teaching and learning more beneficial and effective.

3. Simulation and Modeling

It is fair to say that simulation has always been a part of the learning process. However, it has certainly got more advanced with the help of technology.

In the course of the last 10 years, simulation software made it possible for teachers to bring real-life lessons to the classrooms. Such software enables students to discover different phenomena, events, and activities. For example, they can see planetary movements or surgeries from a first-hand perspective.

4. Accountability

The level of control over students’ performances has also risen over the past years. Parents were longing for this change for quite a while now. But just a few years ago, almost all educational facilities implemented it.

Today, almost every institution has some sort of online portal. Teachers post information on students’ attendance, level of engagement, activity in the classroom, and grades. Even homework they are assigned now can be accessed by parents directly.

This change has made communication between educators and parents much simpler.

5. Communication

Over the past decade, we’ve seen how pupils and teachers were gradually connecting more than ever. If previously the only place where they would interact was a classroom, now they can always stay in touch with the help of technology.

Now, learners have all the tools they need to learn, collaborate, plan, and share with their peers and educators.

6. Gamified Learning

The concept of gamified learning (the way we understand it today) started appearing around 2010. Over the years, it has been evolving and becoming more and more innovative.

Now, most teachers have revealed the benefits of gamification. They are widely applying it to their teaching techniques to make learning more engaging.

7. VR and AR

Virtual and Augmented Reality concepts evolved rapidly over the past decade. These technologies were getting more advanced and way more versatile than ever. Finally, today, both VR and AR have solidly rooted in the education industry. They are transforming teaching techniques and shaping the future of learning.

At this point, VR and AR are widely used to create an immersive learning environment that brings the most benefit to scholars.

8. Personalization

For many years, the educational program was based on the one-fits-all principle. Yet, over the last 10 years, the situation has started to change.

Modern technology strives to generate more engagement and improve overall learning outcomes. It also aims to introduce more personalized teaching. The main goal of such an approach is to use a broad set of tools and strategies to identify each student’s interests and abilities. This way, educators can deliver more responsive and personalized experiences.

The Bottom Line

The educational system in the US was subject to some drastic changes over the past 10 years. So, it is fair to say that teaching style has generally gotten more relaxed than it used to be. Today, teachers have direct access to a large pool of information, resources, and tools to complement their methodologies.

At the same time, it is worth noting that the quality of education has generally gone up. Becoming more personalized, engaging, and interactive, it evokes students’ thirst for knowledge. On top of that, teachers are now held to a higher standard of accountability and excellence. Thus, the change we saw over the past decade is generally positive.

From the students’ perspective, however, they are now under much more pressure. With so much information teachers share with each other and parents, children ought to keep up solid GPAs to ensure success. But, at the same time, with the help of technology, learning has also gotten more engaging, that’s for sure.